Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Dar'a Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Dar'a

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $207 in Dar'a.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $394 in Dar'a.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $581 in Dar'a.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 600% more expensive than Dar'a, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Dar'a is 85% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$2.96 SYP 327

338.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$15.28 SYP 1,689

244.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.01 SYP 112

253.47%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.72 SYP 79.6

123.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.52 SYP 57.4

121.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.49 SYP 53.9

246.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.29 SYP 31.71

810.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.21 SYP 134

57.02%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.22 SYP 135

108.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$3.94 SYP 435

155.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.12 SYP 344

165.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$6.41 SYP 709

80.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$0.31 SYP 34.53

877.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.22 SYP 135

40.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.58 SYP 63.6

253.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.29 SYP 31.62

610.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.38 SYP 42.44

442.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.26 SYP 28.82

734.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.26 SYP 28.59

438.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.48 SYP 52.5

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.14 SYP 237

100.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.25 SYP 27.33

52.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.46 SYP 162

-80.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$4.10 SYP 454

32.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.71 SYP 189

-25.15%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.0K MX$325.8K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.5K MX$402.7K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$41.02 MX$704

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.92 MX$462

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$3.58 SYP 396

1361.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$5.83 SYP 644

349.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$3.04 SYP 336

103.29%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$427 MX$7,331

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$9.86 SYP 1,090

476.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$24.97 SYP 2,759

79.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$16.86 SYP 1,863

528.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$49.80 SYP 5,503

1897.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$35.08 SYP 3,877

1670.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$198 SYP 21.9K

971.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$125 SYP 13.8K

901.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dar'a: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $49.80 in Dar'a. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $15.00 in Dar'a for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $85.0 per month, with Dar'a cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Mexico City vs Dar'a: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dar'a wins on cost – living expenses run 600% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dar'a the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $310 in Dar'a to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $49.80 in Dar'a. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $207 in Dar'a – a 600% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 238% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $207 in Dar'a versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Dar'a but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Dar'a the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Dar'a delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $207 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dar'a hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Dar'a gentler on the wallet – expenses run 600% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.